Metro-North Railroad introduced its first new M8 Electric Multiple Unit train to rave reviews from the riding public on March 1, 2011. These New Haven Line cars, funded by both the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, feature bigger windows, a redesigned interior, LED signs that display stations and automated announcements. LTK is supporting ConnDOT and Metro-North in this major procurement of 380 new generation cars being built by Kawasaki.   Learn more in this video...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6teuy6X3OI 

LTK's  Work in FRA Alternative Vehicle Technology Waiver for Denton County featured in Trade Press

LTK's Denton County work in support of an FRA Alternative Vehicle Technology waiver featured in Progressive Railroading article: 

www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=29807 

Washington Metro Selects LTK as Vehicle Engineering Consultant

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) selected LTK Engineering Services to provide comprehensive technical services for the Metrorail car fleet, including procurement support for the new 7000-Series rail cars and a wide range of non-revenue maintenance of way vehicles.  Services to be provided by LTK may include specification development, design and design review, manufacturing oversight, engineering analysis, expert assessment and correction of technical issues, and support in all aspects of rail car procurement, rehabilitation, repair and maintenance.  The contract term is ten years, with all options exercised.

LTK will support WMATA as it brings 428 new railcars to Washington, replacing older 1000-Series cars and providing rolling stock for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension. The cars establish important new standards for WMATA, including a stainless steel carbody and an Ethernet-based train communications network.  They will include a number of new passenger amenities, such as seats that are taller and more ergonomically designed, and enhanced LCD/LED displays to provide real-time train information with a dynamic route map.

With WMATA operating at or beyond practical capacity during some periods, the new car layout is estimated to accommodate five additional passengers per car or 40 additional passengers per 8-car train.  Car doors will be located closer to the centerpoint, encouraging more uniform loading of each car.

The 7000-Series cars enhance safety as well, with exterior emergency door activation capability as well as a video surveillance system with improved sight lines for security cameras.  The car end design supports easier movement between cars than earlier designs.

Metrorail is the second-busiest rapid transit system in the United States, serving more than 750,000 daily rail riders as of March 2011. 

LTK Caps More Than Quarter Century of TriMet Systems Design with Portland-Milwaukie Rail Transit Project Selection

LTK was recently selected by Portland TriMet for systems final design of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit project, continuing more than a quarter-century of systems design work for one of America’s most dynamic light rail operations. LTK will be responsible for:

• signal system design, including automatic block signaling, interlockings, highway grade crossing warning systems, and train-to-wayside communications,
• communications system design, including CCTV, central control and passenger information systems,
• traction power system design, including substations and the overhead contact system,
• systemwide electrical design, including conduits and ductbank, lighting, grounding, and traction power pole foundations, and
• light rail vehicle specification, procurement, and contract administration support. 

This selection follows LTK’s involvement in systems design for all of TriMet’s corridors, beginning with the Banfield Corridor Light Rail Project (now referred to as the Eastside Line) more than 25 years ago.

The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project includes some 7.3 miles of new route, connecting Portland State University in downtown Portland, inner Southeast Portland, Milwaukie and north Clackamas County. Light rail service on the alignment is scheduled to begin in 2015. By 2030, the line is projected to carry more than 22,000 weekday riders.  The project entered final design, expected to take about one year, with the March 29, 2011 approval of the FTA.

LTK’s selection comes on the heels of TriMet’s announcement of record ridership in April, 2011. TriMet posted record ridership of 8.7 million in April, a 2.2 percent increase from a year ago. Light rail weekday ridership increased by 10.5 percent from a year earlier. 

WTS PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIPS

LTK supports WOMEN IN TRANSPORTATION (WTS) and the Carmen E. Turner, the Suzanne B. Axworthy, and the Sylvia Alston Scholarships that are open to graduate and undergraduate students. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage women to pursue careers in transportation.

The competition is open to women with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who plan to pursue a career in transportation and who are currently enrolled in a degree program in a transportation-related field such as engineering, planning, finance or logistics. A copy each of the Graduate and Undergraduate applications is attached, along with the descriptions of the scholarships.

The WTS Philadelphia Scholarship applications are due in October and awarded in December. The two top recipients of the Philadelphia Chapter scholarship are then submitted as candidates for the WTS Foundation Scholarships, awarded in May of the following year.

For information about WTS www.wtsinternational.org 

COMTO / LTK NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

2012 - Renaud Augustin, Masters in Engineering Management, Florida International University

Mr. Renaud Augustin has had much valuable and educational experience. From his time as an instructor at Miami Dade College to his current position as System Engineer at Creative Technologies, he has worked closely with and within the transportation industry. He continues to seek out education, and is looking to pursue his PhD once completing his current Master’s program.

2011 - Semaj Rashad, Industrial / Systems Engineering and Mathematics, Morgan State University

Mr. Rashad was the recipient of the LTK Engineering Scholarship.  Mr. Rashad is a senior.  He is currently a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and the National Society of Black Engineers.  In addition, he recently completed work with the U.S. Dept of Energy as Student Energy Ambassador. 

Below is a letter from Jedious Aggrey, a recipient of a COMTO Colorado 2010 Scholarship Award.  LTK donated $4,000.00 toward the scholarship program last year.  Here is Jedious’ expression of gratitude.

2009 - Francis Udenta, Civil Engineering, Morgan State University

Drexel University College of Engineering - Honors Day
Established in 1998, The JOHN RAYMOND VOLLMAR ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP is awarded to a sophomore, pre-junior or junior majoring in Architectural, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Materials or Mechanical Engineering in recognition of academic excellence. Students with an expressed interest and / or experience in the field of urban mass transportation are given preference.  To date, the Scholarship Fund has received $104,697 in contributions, including the match by LTK Engineering Services. Since 1998, 25 scholarships have been awarded totaling more than $38,000.

John Raymond Vollmar's Legacy - During the 1960s, LTK’s leadership in the rail transit industry was developed by its initial work for PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corporation) also called the Lindenwold Line, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and various agencies in the New York metropolitan area, beginning with the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), the Tri-State Transportation Commission and, later, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). John R. (Ray) Vollmar’s impact on the firm and the industry is best illustrated by these client relationships, each of which continues to this day.

The John Raymond Vollmar Endowed Scholarship - In August 1997, LTK Engineering Services and the rail transportation industry lost a respected friend and colleague when Ray Vollmar died after a brief illness. As a lasting tribute to honor Ray’s significant contributions to our firm, as well as the rail transportation industry at large, LTK Engineering Services has established The John Raymond Vollmar Memorial Scholarship Fund at Ray’s alma mater, Drexel University.   The entire Vollmar family celebrates Drexel Honors Day held in February of each year.

Photo (L to R): Front Row: 2009 recipients: Anthony Mecca, Li Hao Jain, Avishek Nandi, Second Row: Mrs. Vollmar, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Vollmar, Third Row: Pam Caldwell, Vollmar family friend, Paul Vollmar, Christopher Lawlor-LTK CFO. 

[CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE]

 Scholarship recipients are:

The 2012 JOHN RAYMOND VOLLMAR ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

Matthias Agne - Matthias is majoring in Materials Science and Engineering, with a GPA of 3.6.  His anticipated graduation date is 2015.  His honors and awards include:  Drexel’s Dean’s Scholarship, Dean’s List, among other honors.  He is a member of ASM International, past member of National Honors Society, and Red Rose Repeater Club. He and his family have a deep-rooted interest in railroads,and hobbies include historical societies, rail-fanning, model railroading and photography.  He has volunteered at the B&O Railroad Museum and has had the pleasure of being the engineer on several locomotives, with CSX and the Winchester and Western.  Taking pictures of trains has been his photography hobby and the Moose Valley Model Railroad occupies three rooms of his family’s basement. Matthias has assisted his father in the building of this model railroad which his dad started 25 years ago.  He became an amateur radio operator in sixth grade and built a diesel F-150 vehicle from scratch. 

Xin Guan - Xin is majoring in Computer Engineering with a GPA of 3.82, and an anticipated graduation of 2014.  His honors and awards include Drexel’s Certificate of Merit in Co-Op, Paul Peck Scholar, and Dean’s Distinction List.  The 5 tenants of Paul Peck Scholar are advanced critical thinking, reasoned problem solving and decision making, effective written and oral communication, entrepreneur and innovative spirit, and global awareness.  Xin’s grandfather is an engineer who worked at China Railway and who also tutored Xin’s mother until she went to college and started being Xin’s abecedarian on Math and Physics at an early age.  Xin’s language skills include Chinese and Japanese. He is a co-op at a digital media design company in Philadelphia, PA, and he is a member of NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers).

Michael Sinja - Michael Sinja is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a GPA of 3.34, and an anticipated graduation date of 2014.  Michael is interested in public transit’s crucial role in the economic and cultural prosperity of a society.  His honors and awards include Drexel’s Dean’s Scholarship and Endowed Scholarship, as well as the Dean’s List.  He’s been nominated for National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate Fellowship.  Michael is currently interning as a vehicle specialist in the Transport and Infrastucture division of a transit consulting firm in Philadelphia and has contributed to the testing phases of several transit agency’s trains, as well as made proposals to solutions. He is a member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, Social Chair, Drexel African Student Association, Assistant Editor at Drexel Daily Digest, among others. 

Michael Squillace - Michael Squillace is an Electrical Engineering student and journeyman electrician working with programmable logic controllers and automation equipment.  His GPA is 3.94.  He discontinued his studies for awhile to enter the electrical field and obtained a 4-year certificate from an apprenticeship trade school.  He was an electrician working with PLCs and control systems and decided to go back to college to obtain a degree in electrical engineering.  He is also employed as an electrical supervisor on rail system projects while pursuing his degree in the evenings.  .

The 2011 JOHN RAYMOND VOLLMAR ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

Arda Aridici - Arda Aridici is pursuing a double degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a GPA of 3.90.  His anticipated graduation date is 2014. Arda’s honors and awards include:  Drexel University’s Dean’s List, Endowed Scholarship and Trustee Awards, and he has been member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars since June 2010. Arda acknowledges the cost effectiveness and time savings of rail transit in urban mass transportation. He is a member of IEEE, and enjoys basketball and water polo, among other activities. His language skills include Turkish and German. He has worked as a teaching assistant in the computation labs at Drexel and has been a co-op at a Philadelphia based web developing start-up.

Can Erdogan - Can Erdogan is majoring in Mechanical Engineering, with a Minor in Music Theory & Composition, and has a GPA of 3.38.  His anticipated graduation date is 2014. Can’s honors and awards include:  Drexel’s Dean’s Scholarship, Alumni Endorsement, Certificate of Merit in Career Management and Professional Development and Exceptional Achievement Award for Calculus.  His interest in the rail transit industry is substantial. As an intern at a company in Turkey, he worked with a research group on high speed and maglev trains and evacuated tube transport technologies.  Can participates in activities both on campus and outside of college, such as community service, sports activities and also attending musical concerts.  He has been playing the piano and guitar for years and music is very important to him.  Playing soccer is also a strong passion in his life.  He has been on the Drexel Varsity Soccer Team, as well as the Drexel Intramural Basketball Team.  He played piano for the Keyboard Ensemble at Drexel and also enjoys skiing and placed 4^th in the 2003 regionals. His language skills include Turkish and German. Can has interned at a company that designs and presents vehicle prototypes, such as automobiles, planes, ships and trains, and worked with senior students at Drexel on designing and implementing two wind turbines for urban use, as well as programming a game website.

Charles Stillwell - Charles Stillwell is majoring in Civil Engineering with a GPA of 3.88, and his anticipated graduation date is 2014. Charles’ honors and awards include:  AJ Drexel Scholarship Award Winner, Drexel’s Dean’s List, Personal Leadership Certificate - Creating Excellent Organizations certification.  He has interned as a Civil Engineering Co-Op at a company in Fort Washington, PA.  Charles has always had an interest in trains and after his co-op began, now has an interest in urban mass transit.  In one of his classes at Drexel, he did a research paper which analyzed a certain city’s subway system from size to ridership to cost to method of pay, as well as formulated some possible changes and improvements that the transit agency could make while still being able to keep a balanced budget.  He is planning to study abroad in Hong Kong, to learn about how their extensive public transportation system has effectively eliminated urban sprawl in the area, which boasts the highest population density in the world.  He is active in Drexel’s chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity.

The 2010 JOHN RAYMOND VOLLMAR ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

Adrian Ambrus - Adrian worked in our Ambler Office as an Engineering Assistant from March through September, 2009 as part of Drexel University’s co-op program.  His major is Mechanical Engineering with a Cumulative GPA of 3.93.  Adrian’s other honors and awards include:  Performing Arts Scholarship, September 2009 to Present; Dean’s List, 2007 to Present; Member of Pennoni Honors College, 2007 to Present; and Bronze Medal, Romanian National Mathematics Olympiad, 2006 and 2007.  Adrian is a member of Drexel Guitar Ensemble (2008 to Present); Drexel Smart House (2008); Committee of Seventy Election Oversight (2008) and People to People Student Ambassadors Leadership Summit, UCLA (2007).

Magdalena M. Bielinski - Magdalena is majoring in Electrical Engineering, with a Cumulative GPA of 3.96.  Madgalena’s other honors and awards include:  Exelon Endowed Scholarship, 2008 to Present; Dean’s List, 2007 to Present; Pennoni Honors, 2007 to Present.  Magdalena is also active in Pennoni Honors College Peer Mentoring, (2009 to Present); College of Engineering Peer Mentoring, (2009 to Present); North America Scholar Consortium—Highest Honors Member, (2009 to Present); Computation Lab III Undergraduate Teacher’s Assistant (2009); and National Society of Collegiate Scholars, (2008 to Present).

Li Jian - Li was a Mechanical Engineering Intern in our Ambler Office, September 2008 to March 2009.  Li is a Mechanical Engineering Major with a Cumulative GPA of 3.63.  His other awards include: Drexel University Dean’s Scholarship; Dean’s List and the White Williams Scholarship.  This is the second year Li was honored as a Vollmar scholarship recipient.

Marie LaPosta - Marie is presently working in our Ambler Office as a Drexel Co-op.  In 2008 Marie studied abroad in Budapest.  Marie has a Cumulative GPA of 3.76.  Marie’s other honors include:  Exelon Endowed Scholarship Recipient, 2007 to 2009; National Society of Collegiate Scholars, inducted 2007; Drexel University Dean’s List, consecutive since Spring 2007; AJ Drexel Scholarship Recipient, 2006; ASME Clarke Scholarship Recipient, 2006 and National Merit Scholarship Finalist, 2006.  Marie’s extracurricular activities include: Drexel ASCE Concrete Canoe Team; Indoor Aerial Robotics Competition; American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Middle East Technical University International Summer School—Studied Turkish history and politics in Ankara.

PHOTO - 2010 - (L-R) Front Row: Marie LaPosta, Li Jian and Adrian Ambrus, Back Row: Chris Lawlor, LTK and Paul Vollmar, LTK (not pictured: Magdalena Bielinski) presented at Drexel University Annual Honors’ Day, February 17, 2010 

Li Hao Jian - Mechanical Engineering (June 2012) and a LTK Engineering Services Intern

Avishek Nandi - Mechanical Engineering (June 2010)  and a LTK Engineering Services Intern

Anthony Mecca - Civil Engineering (June 2010)

PHOTO - 2009 - (L-R) Anthony Mecca, Li Hao Jian, Avishek Nandi presented at Drexel University Annual Honors’ Day, February 18, 2009

The 2008 JOHN RAYMOND VOLLMAR ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP